My Theory with Lexus

"Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna" (lukielauxd)
05/20/2014 at 21:12 • Filed to: None

I always wanted to pose this theory to you guys but I've never had the chance to fully type all of this out. I noticed that very often, Lexus has engines that are lower powered than the German rivals of the same class, like the LS with the A8 and the S550, or the GS with the A6 and the 535i.

Like the LS had 386 horsepower, while the A8 has 414 horsepower in its V8 configuration and the S550 had 429 horsepower and the 750i has 445 horsepower.Like 386 is significantly less than the V8s given out by the Germans, and the only thing really that the LS has different than tem is that they're more reliable than the Germans.

Since I thought of this, I learned that Germans don't only have engine problems, but they have like suspension problems and other problems, but related to engine problems at least, is there a chance that the LS is reliable because it doesn't force all the power it can out of its engines? Like if the Toyota 4.6L is tuned to only go to 80% of the power it can give compared to the Germans that tune the engines to 100% and then put turbos on it?

DISCUSSION (10)

Brian Silvestro > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
05/20/2014 at 21:17

I think that's exactly why. I think the engineering is comparative between companies, all of the engines can produce the same power, but some choose not to utilize all of it for the sake of reliability.

Arben72 > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
05/20/2014 at 21:26

Don't forget the Germans underrate their motors by quite a bit. But the real reason is while the Germans come out with new technology as soon as possible, Lexus waits for it to be improved to be installed in their cars, usually a model year or half a model year later.

desertdog5051 > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
05/20/2014 at 21:42

Probably, most of the people buying those cars do not really care about power.

Yossarian > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
05/20/2014 at 22:16

Since when do German sedans have engine problems? They may have electrical problems, but I've never heard of any engine problems regarding the new German sedans.

Xander, Proud of BOXER > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
05/20/2014 at 22:20

This is a bad "theory" and here's why:

The 1UR-FSE in the current LS was introduced in 2006 meaning it began development at least in 2005 if not 2004, so some time ago.

If you look at the engines the 2008 750, 2011 S550, and 2012 A8, you'll see that they directly match the LS460's engine.

BMW didn't get the 4.4 twin turbo V8 until 2009 750i (with only 400 hp to begin with).
Mercedes didn't get the 4.7 liter twin turbo V8 until 2012 S550.
Audi didn't get the 4.0 liter twin turbo V8 until 2013 A8 4.0T.

It only appears like Lexus vehicles are underpowered compared to the Germans because you're looking at their newest engines.

Like others have said, Toyota/Lexus doesn't invent new technology. They wait until there is a demand for a certain technology and then develops it. Based on this trend, it's possible that in the future there will be a 420-450 hp engine in the next LS.

EL_ULY > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
05/20/2014 at 22:28

im sure ive told many people this before but I honestly think in my 13 years of working on cars that NO specIfic model in its class Is the best in its class. Each vehicle has Its streghths and weaknesses. The all have their own thing to offer and it's up to the customer to either be a brainwashed drone, actually do some reason about what Is more important to them, or listen to the bias reviewers and commenters online.

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
05/20/2014 at 23:14

Well, I was thinking they want the smoothest power delivery avaliable.

Hell, if they could they'll stuff an I6 just like my Crown. Yes it's only 220hp, but it's so smooth.

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > Xander, Proud of BOXER
05/21/2014 at 00:35

I never saw it that way .-. I think I first came to this conclusion with the 2011 Lexus LS Sport, when I was like seriously, you made a sport model with 386 horsepower. And the new Turbo-4 that JUST came out after like the first set of turbo engines that came out in every other brand already.

Does the 4.6 even have direct injection or is it just all naturally aspirated, nothing special.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
05/21/2014 at 02:26

If you have 2 engines that are identical in every way except that one makes 50hp more than the other, then yes, the less powerful version will be slightly less reliable. But the engines you are comparing are similar only in that they are piston internal combustion engines. You might as well say that fans of fútbòl will drink more alcohol during a single match/game than fans of 'murican football. It just isn't the same thing.

Xander, Proud of BOXER > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna
05/21/2014 at 10:32

The 1UR-FSE is naturally aspirated with direct injection which is in the LS. The 1UR-FE in other cars is port injection.